Hurricane Katrina- CASE STUDY

Tropical storm in a developed country

how much was total damages due to hurricane

$125 billion

how strong were sustained winds

280kmph

where did the storm begin

as a very low pressure system over the Atlantic

where did it sit on the Saffir-Simpson scale

peaked at category 5 but was mainly a 3

how high was the storm surge

over 6m

how high was water flooding

20 feet

when did it hit

August 29th 2005

what states were the hurricane hit by

Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas

prediction and preparation

• USA have sophisticated monitoring systems to predict if hurricanes will hit (e.g. satellites)

• Katrina changed course and speed very quickly which wasn’t predicted

• evacuation ordered in many areas (e.g. Mayor of NO) but many couldn’t leave as they didn’t have access to cars, and there was bad traffic from all the people leaving at once

• shelters made/designed (e.g. American football stadium Superdome)

• cities already had levees to protect them but they broke due to the strength of the storm and many had not been properly maintained and upgraded

• state of emergency and stockpiling

which states declared a state of emergency

Louisiana and Mississippi

what percentage of people evacuated before the hurricane reached

80%

social impacts (11)

• destruction of Gulf Coast Highway

• looting and fights; people unsafe

• drowning in floods

• homelessness

• lack of supplies and unsanitary in Superdome

• some NO residents no longer able to get house insurance

• jobs lost as businesses damaged/destroyed

• people without electricity

• flooding

• bridges collapsed; no transport

• damaged communication and transport (esp. NO)

• people stranded on rooftops due to flooding

how many people drowned in floods

1200

how many jobs lost

230,000

what percentage of NO was flooded

80%

how many people were without electricity

3 million

economic impacts

• interruption to oil supply

• interrupted export of grain

• oil facilities damaged and petrol prices rose in UK and USA

• grain exports stopped- destroyed travel

environmental impacts (5)

• water supplies polluted with sewage, chemicals and dead bodies

• damaged coastal habitats

• substantial beach erosion

• massive tree loss on Gulf Coast

• oil spills in SE Louisiana

how many facilities had oil spills in Louisiana

44

how many gallons of oil spilt in Louisiana

7 million gallons

response (7)

• slow evacuation process- evacuation buses didn’t come; poorest and vulnerable left behind

• government paid aid

• UK government sent food aid

• National Guard mobilised and restored law and order in NO

• Superdome stadium set up as a centre for those unable to escape

  • homeless people there in horrific conditions

  • poorer African Americans most effected

• coastguard, police, fire services and army rescued people and had access to helicopters

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) unprepared for scale of destruction; too many people needed help

how many people were rescued by coastguard, police, fire services and army

50,000